A Risk Worth Taking
by shimmerinstars
Summary: It's Christmas and the Winchester brother's get a unexpected visitor.


Title: A Risk Worth Taking

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the character's on Supernatural,or any other television show,but it's certainly a very pleasant thought.

Summary: It's late Christmas Eve,and the Winchester brother's are spending the holiday at a cheap motel, their current case, now at a standstill.

Setting: Sam,is curled up,sleeping peacefully on top of the bedcover's,while Dean, is sitting in front of the computer. He's busy searching the internet for any information, that could help move this case forward again.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Taking a sip of his coffee,Dean notices it's after midnight, now making it officially Christmas Day.

"Merry Christmas Sammy," Dean sighed, locking a soulful glance on his brother. I wish Dad were here, I know you really need him today with Jessica, gone."

Shifting his attention back to the computer Dean gripe's, "Where's good old Saint Nick when you need him?"

Hearing a knock at the door,Dean's eye's widen.

"Now that's just wierd," he crack's, getting up to take a look.

Carefully pulling a corner of the curtain back, Dean's view is hindered by the motel's poor lighting. Yet he manages to find something very familar about the hooded figure,standing outside the door.

Going on nothing but his gut Dean, open's the door,and find's his father standing in front of him.

"Dad?" Dean,utter's in disbelief.

John Winchester, gently maneuver's his son inside, locking the door behind him. Grabbing Dean, by the shoulder's, John take's a good look at his boy ,before pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I've missed you so much son," John said, his voice shaky with emotion.

"I've missed you too," Dean echo's, holding on tight, like a lost child finding a parent.

John,didn't want to let go of his son, but the time he had there was limited. Danger lurked everywhere, and it was risky enough coming ,even with all the precaution's he'd taken.

But, John Winchester believed in his heart,it was a risk worth taking. His family had been separated for far too long, and had been through so much. The three of them needed to be together as a family, to refuel their heart's and soul's before returning to their quest for answer's and justice.

John pulled away, to cup Dean's face in his hand's,wanting to look into his son's eye's. "Please forgive me, for leaving the way I did, and for not being there when you needed me."

"I know you had your reason's,Dad." Dean remarked ,backing away, afraid his eye's wouldn't hide how hurt he'd been, by his father's action's.

Dean,took a seat at the table,and John, sat himself down across from him. He couldn't give his son the answer's to why they had to be apart. All John could do, is help Dean understand,there was no other choice.

"I hated us being separated,and not being able to have any contact with you and your brother. But that's the way it had to be,to keep you and Sammy safe."

"Sam's girlfriend,do you know?" Dean asked.needing the distraction and a answer.

"Yes,John answered, I couldn't come to Sam, because at that time it was too risky ,but now no reason seem's to justify my decision,when I look at him."

"I've been looking out for him,Dad," Dean emphasized.

"I knew you would son, you've been looking after your brother and protecting him your whole life. I think,it's when you make me the most proudest."

"He's our Sammy,Dad,no other reason is needed!"

John smiled ,at his son's response,then turned his attention toward's his youngest.

"It's wierd, Dean said, following his father's eye's. Sam's usually awake at this hour and I'm the one sleeping, I'll get him up."

"No, don't wake him Dean, I need a minute." John said,as he got up,and walked over,and sat on the bed opposite Sam.

Watching, his son sleep, John Winchester started to cry softly. It broke his heart knowing his sweet gentle boy had to endure so much pain,losing the woman he loved the same horrific way he'd lost his Mary.

"Dad?" Dean, touched his father's shoulder.

"I'm okay" John said, rubbing Dean's shoulder,as moved over to sit next to Sam,

"Sammy," John spoke softly, gently pushing the hair away from his son's face.

Dean, watched as his brother slowly opened his eye's,and the look on Sam's face when he saw his Dad, sitting there, was the best Christmas gift Dean could have asked for.

John, reached out his arm's for Sam, and all of their difference's evaporated with that one gesture.

Sam, started to cry, as he embraced his father, wrapping his arm's tightly around his neck. In his father's arm's Sam was finally able to let go of his grief over losing Jessica,and John was there to hold his son and comfort him.

Watching his brother break down completely, shook Dean,and he needed to step outside.

Leaning against the impala Dean, tried tograsp what happened.

Dean had seen his brother's grief, masquerading as anger,but not once had he seen Sam openly grieve for Jessica. His brother did keep a lot of his feeling's locked inside, and maybe Dad being here, helped Sam, to let them out.

However,Dean,found it difficult to except there's pain in this world, he couldn't protect his little brother from.There was no evil bastard Dean,could kick the crap out of, at least not yet. But he promised himself, he would do just that,when they found the "thing" responsible for causing his brother so much heartache. He would make that evil entity suffer as long and hard, as he possibly could.

Dean, sat down on the curb, and put his head in his hand's. None of his logic or plan's of revenge eased hispain, at seeing his brother so broken and helpless.

To Dean it still felt like someone had taken a knife and ran it across his heart.

Dean wanted to punch someone,and cry,both at the same time. But he couldn't do either, not in front of his family,that was something he never wanted to do.

"It hurt's seeing him like that doesn't it", John said, standing behind his son.

"Hurt's like hell" Dean replied.

"Sam's going to be fine," John said,answering his son's next question.

"Is he really Dad?" Dean asked,not being able to shake the image of seeing his brother so shattered.

"Yes,more so now that he's allowed himself to start grieving." John said hoping to comfort his eldest.

"You can't outrun grief, John continued, I learned that much in the same way Sam has. Come on Dean, let's go inside and see him,it's safer for you there too"

"In a minute," Dean said, trying to get control of his emotion's.

John, sat down next to Dean, putting an arm around him

"I'm so proud of the man you've become, John spoke softly. But don't feel you alway's have to be the strong one,son. Sam is a lot tougher then you think, lean on him sometime's."

Dean nodded in agreement,as he and John got up and went back inside the motel room.

Sam, was sitting on the bed looked drained and exhausted. His eye's,were red and swollen from crying, and there were remnants of tear's still on his face. He looked down when Dean first made eye contact with him, as if embarrassed by such an open display of emotion.

"You okay" Dean asked tapping Sam on the knee, as he sat on the bed opposite him.

"Yeah" Sam nodded,managing a small smile for his brother.

Dad,doesn't have any new lead's to finding what killed Mom and Jess. But he'll find a way to contact us when he does." Sam added.

"That's good," Dean said, pleased there would be contact between them.

John couldn't put off leaving any longer,so he hugged both his son's one more time and they said their goodbye's. He paused only a few second's at the door to tell his son's he loved them,and then the door closed and John Winchester was gone.

After locking the door, Dean turned to his brother, "Not a bad Christmas after all Sammy?"

"No,not at all" Sam said,wiping his face,trying to make sure he erased any trace he'd been crying.

"We found out Dad is fine, and we got to hear it from the man himself." Dean said trying to lift Sam's spirit's,as well as his own.

Sam nodded in agreement, meeting Deans eye's momentarily.

Dean, however continued to stare at his brother in silence.

"What is it?" Sam asked,watching the sadness grow in his brother's eye's.

Dean,grabbed hold of his brother's arm, and pulled Sam into an embrace,holding him tightly for a moment.

"Wow" Samsaid, looking stunned,yet deeply moved.

"Shut up Sammy, it's Christmas, the time for miracle's and all that,right?"

"I guess so" Sam smiled. He knew that was hard for his brother to do,and that made it mean all the more to Sam.

Dean tousled Sam's hair, "Better get to sleep if you want Santa to come.

"Santa already came," Sam said, lying back down on the bed.

"Yeah he did,didn't he?" Dean grinned,as he got ready for bed.

Okay Sammy,you better get to sleep, because you have somegift's to open in the morning," Dean said, as he climbed into bed, exhausted.and ready for sleep.

"I do? how did you? I do?" Sam stammered.

"Not, if you don't get to sleep," Dean said,trying to keep a straight face while using a stern parental voice.

"Okay, well, I guess I should tell you there's somegift's for you to open tomorrow morning .too" Sam said,grinning slyly

"Wait, I have gift's? Now that not fair Sammy ,how can I sleep now?"

"You're such a baby" Sam, laughed out loud, loving his brother's reaction.

"Am not" Dean whined,playfully,finding no sound sweeter than his brother's laughter.

"Go to sleep John Boy" Sam grinned, turning over,snuggling up and getting himself comfortable.

"Good Night, Mary Ellen," Dean said softly,as he closed his eye's and drifted off sleep.


End file.
